Mobile phone terminals have become wide-spread recently, and its multi-functionality is also developing, allowing the users to access various services, such as an on-line chat, a blog, or e-mail. In addition to this, some of the recent mobile phone terminals are capable of receiving/displaying TV broadcast. This type of mobile phone terminal is regarded a new device with a function associated with the TV browsing function, rather than a dedicated device for communication. One example of the function may be on-line discussion through a chat/blog/mail system in which different users who have watched the same program at the same time exchange opinions about the TV program.
Meanwhile, in TV broadcast, delivery of EPG (Electronic Program Guide) data is becoming more common with the transition from terrestrial broadcasting to digital. EPG designates information data of the programs to be shown and the program currently running. In digital TV broadcasting, the EPG data is delivered to an installed-type TV or the like capable of receiving digitalized terrestrial broadcast by being interposed into the broadcast wave, to be used for creation/display of a program guide. Further, the EPG data can also be delivered from an EPG data delivery server via a network. Therefore, the foregoing new mobile phone terminal may be given a function of obtaining EPG data delivered from an EPG data server via a network. That is, the foregoing mobile phone terminal can be provided with a function creating a program guide by obtaining EPG data delivered via a network.
Such an EPG data may be used for exchange of opinions regarding TV program between plural mobile phone terminals. For example, Document 1 discloses an electronic device which has a function of transmitting the EPG data regarding the program that the user is currently watching to a specific destination. Further, Document 2 discloses a device for extracting a keyword from character string information in the EPG data.
[Document 1]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Tokukai 2005-184613 (published on Jun. 7, 2005)
[Document 2]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Tokukai 2004-62639 (published on Feb. 26, 2004)
However, when the user desires to exchange opinions with other terminals regarding the TV program that the user is currently watching by using a message exchange system, a conventional mobile phone terminal requires the user to go through so many processes before the user is actually allowed to transmit the message regarding the program. In addition to such a difficulty in accessing the message exchange service, the operation for transmitting the message regarding the program sometimes often interferes the view/sound of the TV program.
The following more specifically explains this problem.
For example, to exchange opinions regarding a TV programs by using a message exchange system, such as a chat or a blog, the user first needs to carry out search for a message exchange service related to the TV program the user has been watching, among the various message exchange services on the network. The user generally carries out this search using the data bases on the network. However, to carry out the search for the desired message exchange system in a conventional mobile phone, the user is required to input queries.
Further, even if the user succeeded to enter the message exchange system related to the program, the user is then required to input texts as the messages by using input means such as keyboard. As described in Document 1, the direct insertion of the EPG data into an e-mail is convenient enough for the purpose of transmitting program information to the other user without hitting key repeatedly; however, it does not help to increase efficiency in input of message by the user, such as opinion regarding the program.
The present invention is made in view of the foregoing problems, and the object is to provide a network connecting device capable of receiving TV broadcast and allowing the user to easily exchange messages regarding the program that the user has been watching.